Level: Easy Time: 10 min
Pesto is originating from Genoa, in the northern region of Italy and it has been a regular sauce in Italian cuisine since the 16th century. Making pesto is my favorite way to serve a quick and healthy pasta dish. And it takes only 10 minutes longer than opening up a glass of readymade… When you have made this pesto sauce once there is no way you will ever buy it again! I love the smell that spreads in the kitchen once I start chopping the basil. There is quite a lot of olive oil in my recipe, but you can make it with less if you prefer it dryer. Serve it with fresh pasta for an authentic Italian experience.
THE TIPS TO SUCCEED
1: Make sure your garlic is good quality. If it is old and germy it may give a bitter taste to your sauce
2: Use good quality virgin olive oil
Let’s get started
Ingredients
- 40 g Basil leaves (approx 2 bunches)
- 50 g Pine nuts
- 50 g Parmesan (preferably a whole piece and not grated)
- 1 pcs Garlic clove
- 100 ml Olive oil (or less if you prefer it dryer)
- salt and pepper
How to do it?
Roast the pine nuts quickly over high heat in a dry pan. Stir all the time and stop roasting when light brown.
Put the pine nuts on a plate in the freezer for a couple of minutes to cool down
Add the basil leaves, garlic clove, pine nuts and parmesan into a mixer and mix quickly for a few seconds.
Add the wanted level of olive oil (start with 50ml if you are unsure), salt and pepper and mix again for a few seconds. Make sure you add enough salt. The sauce gets diluted with the pasta so it needs to be tasty.
How to serve the pesto sauce?
I strongly recommend fresh pasta with the pesto sauce. It brings out the pesto taste in completely different way than the dry versions. Once your pasta is cooked and drained, just add the pesto on top, and stir. It is ready to be served.
Pesto sauce
Ingredients
- 40 g Basil leaves approx 2 bunches
- 50 g Pine nuts
- 50 g Parmesan not grated
- 1 pcs Garlic clove
- 100 ml Olive oil or less
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Roast the pine nuts quickly over high heat in a dry pan. Stir all the time and stop raosting when light brown
- Put the pine nuts on a plate in the freezer for a couple of minutes to cool down
- Add the basil, garlic clove, pine nuts and parmesan into a mixer and mix quickly for a few seconds.
- Add the wanted level of olive oil (start with 50ml if you are unsure), salt and pepper and mix again for a few seconds. Make sure you add enough salt. The sauce gets diluted with the pasta so it needs to be tasty.
